Lake of Menteith ‘fishing at its best’

Water clarity remains excellent at Linlithgow Loch, but it has been hard for anglers with the changing weather and atmospheric pressures.

Visitors included East Kilbride AC, fishing the loch for the first time, and they released 21 trout. Anglers said they were pleased with the quality and size of the fish, weights ranging from 4lb to 6lb, and their tactics were mainly Di5’s and midge tips, using blobs, cormorant and snakes.

The staff stock regularly and boats are available on most days for a full day or four-hour session. Call 01506 671753 or book online.

Nearby, Jordan Faulds tempted a 12lb brown at Bowden Springs and both ponds have been re-stocked.

Drumtassie bosses continue to put the finishing touches to their new brown trout pond near Blackridge and will alert on the official opening day. It is imminent.

Further afield, bosses say the Lake of Menteith is fishing at its best and the Greys combo kits are proving a popular try-before-you-buy experience with trialists well impressed. Kits are available in five and seven weight.

Fario’s double humpy bibio is the fly of the week and bosses say they recently stocked over 1,300 fish with a mean weight of 3lbs.

Harlaw Reservoir in The Pentland Hills has been fishing well with Alan Stead tempting eight in one session and Douglas Skedd, who regularly features in catch returns, excelling again with ten rainbows and one brown.

In Midlothian, Glencorse owner Bill Taylor has welcomed the arrival of new boats and will remain open until late November but only if the demand is there.

East Lothian, Kevin Walkinshaw from Gorebridge was back at Newlands Tweeddale and hooked into 16 trout using bloodworm and dries.

Edinburgh-based Connor Spence enjoyed his day at Tweeddale. He fished a red rabbit on the Top Pond in the morning and hooked five and then switched to the Middle Pond in the afternoon, tied on dries and added ten to his total.

Finally, the Lets Fish! initiative offering a free introduction to coarse fishing continues at the Falkirk Wheel and in Glasgow this week.

PICTURE: Tom Lambert on the boat pontoon at Linlithgow Loch. Picture Nigel Duncan